Play your favorite classic games and more with the GameEx front end. Read more.

columnsu: MAME ROM Information.

Sega's answer to the legendary "Tetris", the rules of Columns are simple : a column of 3 square pieces - stacked one on top of the other - drops from the top of the screen into the play area. As with Tetris, the column puzzle pieces can be moved left and right as they fall, but unlike Tetris, they cannot be rotated. Instead, pressing a button will cause the order of the colored blocks in a column to shift by one position.

The object of the game is to place columns at the bottom of the pit in such a way that lines of 3 or more like-colored blocks are created (either horizontally, vertically or diagonally). When this happens, these blocks disappear, and any blocks resting upon them immediately fall onto the recently vacated space. This will often cause additional lines to be arranged, producing a 'cascade' effect. The key to a long game (and, ultimately, a high score) is to set up these cascades wherever possible.

While not achieving the same legendary status as the mighty "Tetris" (something that no puzzle game can realistically hope to achieve), the 'Columns' series has managed to garner a dedicated following of its own and is a respected example of the genre.

- TECHNICAL -

Sega System C hardware

Main CPU : 68000 (@ 8.948862 Mhz)

Sound Chips : YM3438 (@ 7.670453 Mhz), SN76496 (@ 3.579545 Mhz)

Players : 2

Control : 8-way joystick

Buttons : 1

- TRIVIA -

Released in June 1990.

April Simmonds of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada holds the official record for this game with 267,360 points on November 13, 2006.

- 14th December 2005: David Haywood - Thanks to Arzeno Fabrice the US version of Columns is now supported (the old 'US' set is actually a World set). The US set is slightly different to the other sets, it has the WDUD logo, then an additional Sega logo previously only found in Columns 2, a dipswitch to enable cocktail mode and different music (although I have no idea WHY they changed the music, the new music doesn't fit with the game at all, it's the music from Columns 2 when it uses the standard graphic pieces).